She is best-remembered for From a Distance, by Julie Gold, although the version that achieved greater commercial success was not Griffith's but Bette Midler's (From a Distance). Similarly, other artists have occasionally achieved greater success with Griffith's songs than did Griffith herself: for example, Kathy Mattea, who had a country music top five hit with a 1986 cover (Love at the Five and Dime) of Love at the Five and Dime.
ADDITIONALLY
In 1994, Griffith teamed up with Jimmy Webb to contribute the song "If These Old Walls Could Speak" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization. Griffith is a survivor of breast cancer which was diagnosed in 1996, and thyroid cancer in 1998.[2]
Singer-songwriter Christine Lavin remembers the first time she saw Griffith perform:
I was struck by how perfect everything was about her singing, her playing, her talking. I realized from the get-go that this was someone who was a complete professional. Obviously she had worked a long time to get to be that good.
During her career, Griffith toured with many artists, including Buddy Holly's band, The Crickets; John Prine; Iris DeMent; Suzy Bogguss; and Judy Collins. Griffith has recorded duets with many artists, among them Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, John Prine, Don McLean, Jimmy Buffett, Dolores Keane, Willie Nelson, Adam Duritz (singer of Counting Crows), The Chieftains, and Darius Rucker (lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish). She also contributed background vocals on many other recordings.
Griffith suffered from severe 'writers block' for a number of years after 2004, lasting until the 2009 release of her The Loving Kind album, which contained nine selections that she had written and composed either entirely by herself or as collaborations.
After several months of limited touring in 2011, Griffith's bandmates The Kennedys (Pete & Maura Kennedy) packed up their professional Manhattan recording studio and relocated it to Nashville, where they installed it in Griffith's home. There, Griffith and her backing team, including Pete & Maura Kennedy and Pat McInerney, co-produced her album, Intersections over the course of the summer. The album includes several new original songs and was released in April 2012.
In addition to her own songs, Griffith is well known for her versions of other people's material, usually by contemporary singer-songwriters.
Awards
Griffith won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Other Voices, Other Rooms. In 2008, the Americana Music Association awarded her its Americana Trailblazer Award; Lyle Lovett, who contributed backing vocals to some of "The Blue Moon Orchestra's" recordings,[which?] had won it before her.
Band (The Blue Moon Orchestra)
Griffith refers to her backing band as "The Blue Moon Orchestra." This reference is believed to have been drawn from both the title of one of her earliest albums, Once in a Very Blue Moon, and its title selection, which reached #85 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1986.
Storms
Nanci Griffith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As quiet as a street lamp
This is some kinda town
Whiskey go easy
When the sun goes down
My best to the midnight...
God, look at the moon
There's only one in the room
There's only one in the room
[Chorus:]
There's a storm out on the water
Oh, bless the ships at sea
There's a storm down in my lover's heart
Oh, God bless me
I wanna be blown by the wind of his
Breathing
Shown by lightening flashing
Oh, I've never been afraid of the thunder
I wonder
Will he rain on me?
Is loneliness contagious?
Another damn song about a waitress
It's the only hotel here
... And the engine's gotta cool
I'm a bad hand at solitaire
You lie to yourself and no one cares
While the wall paper fades...
The sun takes the moon
There should be two to a room
[Chorus:]
There's a storm out on the water... Will he rain on me?
The lyrics of the song “Storms” by Nanci Griffith speak about longing and loneliness. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song as Griffith observes the quietness of a street lamp in a small town. She experiences the sadness and emptiness of being alone and seeks comfort even in the darkness. The following lines reinforce this idea as she drinks Whiskey and looks at the moon shining into the room, hoping for the presence of another person. The chorus of the song is about a storm, which Griffith wants to engulf her, compare it with the storm that rages within her lover's heart. She longs for his love, yearns to be breathed by him, and shown by his lightning flash. Although she is not afraid of the thunder, she wonders whether he will ever rain on her.
The second verse reflects Griffith's isolation and disappointment, as there is only one hotel in the town, and she has to wait for the engine of her car to cool. She starts playing Solitaire, but her mind is wandering, and her thoughts are filled with a sense of emptiness. She is aware of the sadness and loneliness that is infectious, yet nobody cares about it. Her longing for a partner is intense, and she wishes that there were always two people in a room.
Overall, the lyrics of the song evoke a sense of sadness, need, and longing for connection. The storm serves as a metaphor for the inner turmoil that Griffith is experiencing, and she hopes that the storm will bring the love she desires. The song's interpretation can be different for every listener, depending on their experiences and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
As quiet as a street lamp
The town is incredibly quiet, like a street lamp that doesn't make any noise.
This is some kinda town
The town is unique and interesting in some way.
Whiskey go easy
Be careful not to drink too much whiskey.
When the sun goes down
At night time.
My best to the midnight...
I wish the best to the midnight hour, which represents the night time.
God, look at the moon
Expressing amazement at the sight of the moon.
There's enough for two shadows
The moonlight is strong enough to create two shadows.
There's only one in the room
There is only one person present, despite the moonlight suggesting otherwise.
There's a storm out on the water
There is a literal storm happening on the water.
Oh, bless the ships at sea
Expressing a hope that the ships at sea will be safe during the storm.
There's a storm down in my lover's heart
There is a metaphorical storm happening in the singer's lover's heart, perhaps indicating emotional turmoil.
Oh, God bless me
A plea for divine help and protection during the emotional storm.
I wanna be blown by the wind of his
Breathing
The singer desires to feel the breath of her lover strongly and powerfully.
Shown by lightening flashing
Describing the intensity of the feeling of being blown by her lover's breath with the metaphor of lightning flashing.
Oh, I've never been afraid of the thunder
The singer is not afraid of the literal thunder during the storm, but perhaps is afraid of the metaphorical storm in her lover's heart.
I wonder
Will he rain on me?
The artist wonders if her lover's emotional storm will affect her negatively, like rain pouring down on her.
Is loneliness contagious?
Asking a rhetorical question about whether loneliness can be spread from one person to another.
Another damn song about a waitress
Expressing frustration about a common theme in songs.
It's the only hotel here
There is only one hotel in this town.
... And the engine's gotta cool
Something needs to be fixed with an engine in order for the artist to continue traveling.
I'm a bad hand at solitaire
Metaphorically means the artist is not good at being alone and is struggling with loneliness.
You lie to yourself and no one cares
The artist is expressing that she feels like she is the only one who cares about her own feelings and that she is not being honest with herself.
While the wall paper fades...
Time is passing while the singer is in the hotel room, and the wall paper is fading as a result.
The sun takes the moon
The sun is rising while the moon is setting.
There should be two to a room
The singer believes that there should be two people together in a room.
Contributed by Lily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.